Success is not attributed to natural talents, but instead to learning and adjustment. The actual capabilities/skills you learn will provide you access to many opportunities in terms of studies, jobs, and experience down the road. Here are some tips on learning the skills required in your discipline:
1. Identify skills that are important:
To start, identify the skills which are important to your discipline no matter if they are technical (i.e., writing ability, coding ability, data analysis) and/or soft-skills (i.e., leadership, communication, time-management). Look for opportunities in the business or field in which you want to work and ask people in that profession or field to learn about trends or to speak to them as experts in the discipline.
2. Learn from reliable sources:
There are many online learning resources (i.e., Coursera, Udemy, LinkedIn Learning) or hours of free material made available on YouTube, tutorials and audio podcasts. You could also join a local community college and take advantage of workshops they might offer, or you can even acquire a mentor to have some practical exposure.
3. Practice consistently:
You will not become a master of any aspect through the theoretical knowledge of one lesson and/or module—you will need to practice and iterate. Whether through internships, part-time jobs, school projects, or a freelancing project-all it takes is one touchpoint to physically apply the skills that you are studying for, in order to improve. For example, if you are practicing public speaking, you could join a local debate club. If it is computer programming skills, you can create tiny projects one at a time.
4. Network and learn from others:
Be around the types of people that will challenge you to develop. Attend presentations and workshops and professional networking events—all worth the time. Organizations and companies are likely to host individuals, or professionals, that are versed in your discipline you can listen to and learn from. Contact those same professionals for resumes and to request interview opportunity. Continue to practice with your coach until you feel capable to practice on your own.
5. Adaptability and a commitment to lifelong real learning:
Just like the world is alway changing – your skill set should be changing as well. Read, take refresher courses and challenge yourself to try new things to expand your frame of reference. Non-stop learning allows you to continue to thrive!
6. Work ethic:
Your ethic of work (hard work, discipline and consistency) is as equally important as your skills. Set the goal and intend to grow and develop. When you make a mistake, be a learner and move on. If you can enhance your skill or talent, you will set your mind on getting it right and accomplishing the objective you set.
